Reveksible capstan



` l Fig.` 2, represents a top y Similar characters in both the igures`de-- ward motion over that of J. A. H. ELLIS ANDALEX. GORDONLOF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

REVERSIBLE oAPsTAN.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,156, dated June 27, 1854.

T o all whom t may concern Be it known that we, JOEL A. HRELLIS and ALEXANDER GORDON, bot-h ofthe city` of Rochester, in the` county Of Monroe and` State of New` York, lhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible Capstans; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in whichi Figure l, represents a side elevation, and

plan.

note corresponding parts.

The nature of our invention consists 1n combining with the capstan, a shifting spur i wheel connected to the shaft of the capstan by feathers,and operated by a lever or its equivalent, .for the purpose of reversing the direction of the barrel of the capstan, without reversing the direction of the sweeps, and givingsaid capstan an increased backtion.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe the saine with reference to the drawings. i

The capstan is madel similar to those in common use, and operated` by any power, though herein `represented as operated by horses, it being so arranged as to let oft' the chain from one end of the drum as fast as it winds on at the other, and capable of having its motion reversed by means of gearing, so as to run in an opposite direction while the horses travel constantly in the same direction, and thus draw in on the opposite end of the chain and discharge slack chain from the opposite end of the capstandrum, thus drawing the machine or thing to which the chain is attached either backward or for-` ward, though at different velocities and with power in accordance with the velocities.

The main shaft 49 of the capstan, is properly supported in the frame 50, 50, and on said shaft the drum or barrel of the capstan is firmly keyed; 5l, 51, is a large internal gear wheel, the center of which revolves loosely around the mainv shaft, except when held by a clutch,` and 52, 52, 52, are three gear wheels, placed at equal distances from each other` inside of the internal gear wheel 51, and meshing into it; they also all mesh with the pinion 53, which is connected with the main shaft,by-means of feathers projecting from the shaft, which causes the shaft to revolve with said pinion.` This pinion 53, is drawn up and down on the shaft bymeans of the lever 54:, (Fig. 1,) which is attached to the `pinion by theconnectingrods 55, 55. When this pinion is drawn up on the shaft it slides into a suitable recess cast on the underside of the hub of the internal gear wheel 5l, This recess has cogs on its inside surface, corresponding in size and shape with the spacesbetween the cogs of the pinion, so that i i when the pinion is in the recess itis `turned in the same direction that the sweep wheel is turning, and with the saine number of revolutions, and drives the main shaft and capstan drum wit-h it. When the pinion is dropped down into gear with the three interr mediate gearwheels ,52, 52, 52, the direction in which it turns is then reversed, and its speed increased to four revolutions, to one of the sweep wheel. `Thus, an excavator or large plow (for which the capstan is at present used) may be drawn forward and operated on a slow motion with the full power of the capstan, and drawn backwithout resistance, at a considerably increased speed by merely shifting the lever `54. The machine Inay be usefully employed in raising heavy bodies from quarries, coal drifts, or for any purpose where the power is required in one direction, and the speed in the opposite direction.

Two spiralwedges 56, 56, are permanently attached to the frame of t-he capstan-'One at each end of the capstan barrel, and placed in such a manner as to completely encircle it. upon this barrel, at or near the place where the point or edge of the wedge is fixedthe chain being carried around by the barrel as it revolves, slides on the surface of the cam wedge, and is continually crowded in toward the center of the barrel, by the action of the wedge upon it. The throw of the wedge is just sufficient to crowd the second icoil of chain entirely out of the way of the A roller 57 passes horizontally across the frame of the capstan, near the upper end of the barrel, in such manner as to support The draft chain commences winding the upper part of t-he chain, so that the slack barrel when the machine is being drawn forward, will be drawn out over the roller by its ownweight, and thus preventthe upper coils of chain on the capstan barrel from get-ting loose so as to fall down and become entangled with those below, and thus prevent the chain from unwinding freely. The motion ofthe capstan barrel `is reversed to draw the thing, operated by it, back,

' and the chain winds upon the upper end of the capstan barrel. The roller 57, supports the upper chain, and keeps it up, so that it commences winding upon the barrel at or near the point of the upper wedge 56, and prevents it from winding down over the coils below. c

58, 58, are the sweeps to which the team is hitched, but when other power is applied,

of course other suitable means ofl applyingl it, may be used. yAn eye and ring 59, is fastened to one of the sweeps in such a position that the ring can be slipped over the end ofthe lever 54, when itis brought down, and-,retain it in that position.

When `this capstan isl used for working an excavator we use an anchor such as is represented at Fig. 3, which should extend entirely across the bed of earth to be eX- cavated. Itsshould be sunk below the surface of the ground, togive it the necessary firmness, and allow the carts or wagons which receive the-earth from the excavator to move around over it. It should be further provided with chains 63, 63, &c., to which the pulley, over which the main chain runs, can 'be fastened, as the machine is moved across the bed of earth, to remove it r by longitudinal sections-the front partof the machine being guided by snatching the main chain to one side or the other of its direct movement.

Havingthus fully described the nature of our invention, what we claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 

